Detec Systems visited Terra-Petra’s Los Angeles office this week to conduct a comprehensive education and training session to promote their innovative product line of leak detection technologies. Detec provides leading-edge technology in the field of electronic leak detection (ELD), by way of membrane integrity testing and scanning, and automated structure monitoring. The training session included a classroom like session followed by field training on a jobsite.

The Terra-Petra Waterproofing Division is certified to conduct ELD testing throughout Southern California for numerous types of fluid-applied waterproofing and roofing systems in compliance with ASTM 7877-14. This includes any thermoplastic roofing system, any asphalt based waterproofing, traffic coatings, hot and cold fluid applied membranes and some bentonite systems (as long as they have thermoplastic reinforcement).

Terra-Petra employs the use of the Detec Systems Roof Membrane Integrity Scanner(RMIS) to accurately identify breaches in new and existing membrane systems. Many contractors are using a 24-48 hour flood test to check for breaches in these types of waterproofing assemblies. While this method can identify water leaks, it is time consuming and less cost effective. The benefits of the RMIS technology is that breaches and other imperfections can be identified, repaired and re-tested the same day, saving valuable time, resources and money for any project.

If you travel down through the Downtown LA area on a regular basis, you have probably noticed the every-changing skyline. As an environmental engineering firm, Terra-Petra is taking part with many of these new projects. One of which is called the Metropolis (you can't miss this large mixed-use community steadily growing along the 110 freeway). The Terra-Petra Waterproofing Division is consulting on the building envelope waterproofing system for the Metropolis project and inspecting all of the waterproofing as it gets installed.

Read more about Metropolis and other projects currently being led by Chinese developers in Downtown Los Angeles.

As one of the most well-known environmental engineering and building waterproofing companies in the Los Angeles basin, Terra-Petra is currently working on or has completed some very high-profile projects in the Downtown LA area. Some of the most notable projects, among many others, include:

The Wilshire Grand Tower – the Wilshire Grand skyscraper will one day be the tallest west of Chicago. (Terra-Petra photo of project start to the right.)

The Metropolis, a $1B development is one of the largest mixed-use projects under construction on the West Coast.

Oceanwide Plaza will break ground in spring 2015. This $1B project will have a total of three towers and an expansive above-ground outdoor space. A five star hotel and 200k SF of commercial space will be included. There will be 504 condos and 183 hotel rooms.

South Park Mega-Project (Chinese developer Shenzhen Hazens) is a three towers along Figueroa Street across from L.A. Live. A 30-story hotel tower would rise at the northwest corner of Flower and Eleventh streets. A 30-story condo tower would be at Figueroa and Eleventh streets, and a 42-story condo tower would be at Figueroa and Olympic.

According to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), the "flurry of activity" in the recent years is defiantly the biggest construction boom they have witnessed since the 1980s.

However, LADBS does say that it is yet to be seen if it's the biggest boom in history or not.

We already told you about some of the mega-projects that will reshape Sunset Boulevard, perhaps one of the most famous thoroughfares in the world. But if you're really following what's hot in LA, it's all about Downtown. So we decided to take a look at some of the developments that will reshape the future of one of Downtown's most notable streets:

1. Circa
Location: 1200 Figueroa Players: Hankey Investment, Jamison Services, Falcon California Investments, Highlands Capital, Harley Ellis Devereaux, LendLease. Completion date: Late 2017. The $500M project will build twin 35-story towers housing 648 luxury condos on top of a seven-story retail podium. There will also be 48k SF of retail and 1,770 parking spaces. This project broke ground in summer 2015 and features a curved glass look that offers a panoramic view of LA, and many other neighboring high-rises, including the Metropolis. Bisnow chatted with Hankey president Scott Dobbins this week to get the latest status update on the development.

2. Oceanwide Plaza
Location: Figueroa and 11th Players: Oceanwide Real Estate Group. Completion date: 2018, condos hit the market in 2017. Breaking ground in spring 2015, this $1B project will have a total of three towers and an expansive above-ground outdoor space. A five star hotel and 200k SF of commercial space will be included. There will be 504 condos and 183 hotel rooms total. Chinese firm Oceanwide had previously acquired the development from New York City-based Moinian Group. This will be the first real estate venture for Oceanwide outside China.

3. Shenzhen Hazens
Location: Entire block bounded by Figueroa, 11th Street, Flower Street and Olympic Boulevard Players: Shenzhen Hazens, Gensler Completion date: After 2020. It's no secret Chinese firms are transforming the LA landscape. Shenzhen Hazens will add to the mix with a $700M redevelopment in the Luxe Hotel area. The project plans to break ground in 2017 and will be split into two phases. Phase 1 would build two 30-story towers, one residential and one hotel. Phase 2 would completely replace the Luxe Hotel with a 42-story residential tower. Expect the finished mega-project to have 650 luxury condos, 250 hotel rooms and 80k SF of retail space. We caught up with Shenzhen Hazens Group executive project director Sonnet Hui recently to get more on the company's plans.

4. MyFigueroa
Location: Four miles of streets from Downtown LA to South LA. Players: LADOT, Troller Mayer Associates, Melendrez, GEHL Architects. Completion date: 2017. Promising to make it easier for transit and bicycle users, this project will start in late spring 2016 and complete in 2017 under a $20M budget. It will link USC and Exposition Park to Downtown LA with better signals, signage, crosswalks, transit platforms, bikeways and trees. There will be on-street, fully separated bike lanes on each side of Figueroa for 27 signalized intersections. There will also be a lot more accommodations for public transit, including for the Silver Line and the upcoming streetcar service.

Terra-Petra is an environmental engineering firm specializing in contaminated soil and groundwater conditions. Our expertise starts with soil gas characterization, remediation, and in the design and inspection of gas mitigation systems for buildings of all types.